Every 10 Years
by emerald days
Summary: A different kind of marriage law. Magical blood is not growing thin. A bad Ron, not dead Dumbledore and Snape so this is completely a typical fanfic.


**Every 10 years**

The hidden community of witches and wizards in England were mostly comprised of purebloods. It isn't surprising since magic is passed along by genes. It's like most people in Japan are Japanese, and most people in Italy are Italian. It was the most common status of blood but halfbloods were not rare. People with no magical parents, but for some reason have magical blood in their vanes called muggle-borns or cruely, Mud-blood were the rarest of the lot. Magic cannot be explained by logic just as the human body. Like a person dying from cancer might miraculously recover as though nothing happened. Muggle-born wizards and witches somehow inherit magical genes. It is like having black colored skin parents and being born white. It is not impossible and does occur sometimes.

Salazar Slytherin, one of the founders of Hogwarts school of with craft and wizardry, did not like having muggleborns taught in the school. He did not think he should have to go to the trouble of making them understand about their community and the weird things they did were not just their imagination. He was ambitious and did not want the pureblood students being pulled down by them. So naturally Slytherin house hardly had any muggle-borns and those who did get in already knew about the wizarding community from a friend or anyone close that was wizarding.

Helga Hufflepuff who truly believed that anyone who had magical blood should be allowed into Hogwarts, disagreed with Slytherin's beliefs. She passed a law to ensure the unity of purebloods and muggleborns, and stamp out the prejudice. Most people did not mind blood status, for all they knew muggleborn were just like everybody else and had magical ability. But there were also people who believed that magical blood should be passed only amongst themselves. The law was that every 10 years a person from a pureblood family marry a muggleborn wizard or witch as a sign that they were not outcasts of the wizarding world. The ministry had a list of all the purebloods who wasn't married yet, also a list of muggleborns. How they choose was very funny. This was called the binding. This also relied on a hat, the binding hat, that was once Hufflepuff's hat choose two people who made the best match. This law though highly unpopular was never taken down and called Helga's law.

Helga's law; Two chosen later this week

Hermione Granger now 22 years old was reading the daily profit while eating lunch in the cafeteria of St. Soro's. St. Soro was the children hospital attached to St. Mungo's. Hermione after graduating Hogwarts became a healer specializing in children. Since she was an only child she always wanted a little brother or sister. She loved children and chose a career where she could be around them. When she was young she was secretly jealous of Ron's big family and hoped that one day she would have many children of her own.

"Helga's law? Isn't it the one where marriage is involved?" she thought to herself but was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard someone calling her name.

"Herms!"

It was Lavender.

"Lavender, I told you I hate the nickname."

She looked at her sheepishly. It was funny that now Lavender was the one girlfriend she relied on. Of course Lavender was still in touch with Parvati, her best friend through her Hogwarts years but Parvati was already married and had 2 children.  
>Lavender was not the kind of girl Hermione had thought at their years at Hogwarts. She was still a gossip but she was kind at heart and seemed to sense people in need of help. They were once very near enemies due to the fact that Hermione thought very little of Divination and the Ron incident.<p>

Hermione had dated Ron after the war but he wanted to get married and start a family where Hermione wanted to be a healer. He had become possessive and soon started to abuse Hermione, telling her that if she told anybody she would pay. Fame and money it seemed had come to Ron's head and also Ginny's as well. Hermione thought it was understandable because they were not used to it and it would pass but it did not. Even Harry who was once so humble was drowning in it. Dumbledore seemed saddened by the outcome.

It was Lavender that had helped Hermione. She knew of Ron's abuse because he had been cheating on Hermione with Lavender, telling her that he had broken it off with Hermione. They tried telling Harry, Ginny and Mrs. Weasley about Ron but no one listened to them saying that they were unfair and cheaters. They had left then seeing as no one would understand. Hermione was suffering most because she could still remember the innocent boy that used to be her best friend. They had got a flat together in Muggle London and went on with their life. Lavender was now a young apprentice with a designer and designed children's clothes. She often came to St. Soro's to ask the children about clothes they wanted to wear. Unfortunately they could not live together anymore because Hermione of Hermione's demanding work hours and Lavender wanting to be near her boss who resided in wizarding London.

"I came up with this really cool dress robe that children can wear to practically anything. I put a charm on it so it twirl and float." She said excitedly.

"Like Marilyn Monroe?" Hermione smiled. They had been watching the 'Seven year itch' and Lavender became obsessed with her.

"Actually I was imagining Professor Snape."

Hermione laughed. "I don't think he's going to like it if he knew."

"But I like his robes, it so mysterious. And all those buttons, can you imagine what's underneath?"

Hermione blushed. In her 7th year she had wondered on the life of their dark potions master. Even after the fall of Voldemort Dumbledore didn't give him the Defence Job. It was still jinxed and no one lasted longer than a year.

"Ah-ha I knew you had a crush on him!" Lavender said triumphantly.

"No, I don't! I just wondered about his life. It said in Hogwarts a History that he is the 2nd youngest professor to start teaching and the youngest to become Head of House. You know he was also a spy and all. I mean he's still in his 30's and spends most of his time at Hogwarts." Hermione said hurridly.

"You know I don' think he married but he might have a girlfriend I mean those hands don't go unnoticed."

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked.

"Don't you know the theory?" Lavender asked incredulously.

Hermione shook her head.

"Honestly Herms you need to get your head out of those books. Well it's said that the size of a man's…you know… is in proportion to his hands." Lavender giggled.

"Really?"

"That's what it's said. Oh and his voice too. So sexy. You know the way he pronounces every silible. He's tolerable now after the war. I bet he was wearing glamor charms to make him look ugly, I mean he's rather handsome in his own way. But I love those hands so elegant and deft…." Lavender said dreamily. "You'd better make a move on if you want him Herms. After his name was cleared he's quite the popular war hero."

Hermione ignored tha last comment and teased, "Hey can I ask you something or should I go find someone else and leave you to your fantisies?"

"Hey you're the one who has a crush on him. I have David so I'm good." Lavender laughed.

"I don't have a cru…" Hermione said rather loudly.

"Yeah, yeah but maybe it's time you found someone Herms. I know Ron hurt you, us, but we can't let that pull us back." Lavender said sincerely.

"I know but it's scary. I have a great job and what if the next person wanted me to stay at home and just have kids? What if he beats me?"

"Hermione, it's not like you're going to marry the next person you date."

"I know but I always thought Ron and I would be together. Even if we didn't get married we would stay friends…"

"I know." Lavender said softly rubbing her arm. "But you can't let the memory or experience of Ron be the last memory of being with someone or dating someone."

Only Lavender knew that at the end of Ron and Hermione's relationship he had locked Hermione in a room telling her that she would not be let out until she decided to marry him. She had been raped and beaten by him, which lead to a miscarriage.

"You're right but I don't know if I'm ready. Besides who would date me? I'm tramatized by the touch of a man."

"Hermione you're a great person. Just give it time you'll be fine. Anyway what was the question you wanted to ask me?" Lavender said reassuringly.

"Oh, I wanted to know about Helga's Law."

"Oh that" Lavender said airily "well long ago when Salazar Slytherin tried to deny muggleborns coming to Hogwarts Helga Hufflepuff was against it. She made up this Law that every 10 years a Pureblood marry a muggleborn. This couple will be a symbol of unity between the blood status."

"Well I'm glad muggleborns are allowed at Hogwarts."

"Slytherin had a point though." Lavender said thoughtfully. "Back in those days most muggles barely knew how to read so the teachers would have to teach them from scratch. That would be a huge draw back on pureblood children. It would be like doing elementary school work over again in high school."

"I see what you mean. But why is it still in effect? Many people marry muggles or muggleborns due to love."

"Well the thing is, at any time another Voldemort could arise making muggleborns victims, you have to admit they are the minority in this world."

Hermione sighed.

"It just doesn't seem fair though. This couple, whoever they are, are going to be ripped from their loved ones and be married just for the greater good?"

"But how many people died during the war against Voldemort?" Lavender said quietly.

Hermione sighed again.

"So how do they choose?"

"Well there's this Hat like the Hogwarts Sorting Hat. It's more like the Goblet of Fire though, the ministry has a list of all the unmarried witches and wizards of both blood statuses and they put those peoples' names in and the hat chooses. It's called the Binding Hat."

"So is there anything else the couple has to do? Make speeches? Say they're happy?" Hermione said sarcastically.

"Not really, but they are bond till death." Lavender said matter of factly.

"Honestly, but what if you hate one another."

"Has the sorting hat ever made a mistake?"

"No, I don't think so but…"

"So it turns out okay in the end."

Hermione still looked uncertain.

"My great-grand father was chosen and he seemed alright with it. He was 65 when he was chosen and the muggleborn witch was 68. They spent the rest of their lives together."

"There's no age limit?"

"Well great-grand father was married but my great-grandmother passed away so he was single. There were much older couples and many with large age differences, the largest so far was something like 50 years. Anyway it's not like they're demanding you to have children."

Hermione's face darkened.

"Hermione I'm sorry I…. You'll be fine and have lots of kids." Lavender said

Hermione was silent for a while before she said "You know when I miscarried I was sort of glad…Glad that I wasn't having Ron's child. I feel guilty every time I think about it." Hermione's eyes were brimming with tears. "I wanted to have a child out of love, not because he demanded me to. But the baby I lost was an innocent child, a life no less…."

"Hermione you're not guilty. Ron's the one who beat you making you miscarry. It's his fault not yours and my mother always says that that bearing a child is not an easy thing to do. You're risking your life and the baby's as well so think hard before you decide, and only take the risk with a man you can die for."

Hermione gave a watery smile. "Thanks"

Lavender smiled and continued.

"Well, what people fear most about this law or the ones like the Malfoys who are obsessed with their blood being pure is if you only have one child and he or she is chosen, your family's blood will no longer be pure if they should have children. That's why arrange marriage becomes popular before Helga's law. If the family has 2 children or more people tend not to worry but there is a chance that your children would fall in love with a muggle or muggleborn."

"That's just mean. I'm muggleborn I can do magic just fine." Hermione huffed.

"True but you've got to admit muggleborns are rare. Since Magic is passed on by genes and…"

"People are protective of their blood I know." Sighed Hermione.

"Oh cheer up, we both have a chance at getting chosen. But probably more you than me, The hat seems to know if you're in a serious relationship or not."

"Oh so you're thinking about tying the knot?" Hermione grinned.

Lavender blushed.

"I don't know. I never imagined myself being married this young but David is good for me, he's kind and gentle and I love him. It's nice to come home to a person you love."

"For a person who loves to gossip you're awfully private. I think it's the first time I heard you say love."

Hermione slightly smirked, Lavender catching that said "Well I'm going to set you up with someone if you don't be careful."

Hermione laughed.

"I have to get to work but I'm sure Sue will love to see you."

"Great!"

Both girls stood up and headed toward the exit.


End file.
